Sir Alex Ferguson amassed a long list of rivals during his time at Old Trafford (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Throughout his playing and coaching careers, Sir Alex Ferguson had plenty of adversaries, but one of his former rivals was especially vindictive.
Former Scotland and Manchester United player Alan Brazil acknowledged that he used to spoil Sir Alex Ferguson’s garden whenever he passed his house.
During his managerial career, Fergie has offended a few people. However, in contrast to most, the now-talkSPORT pundit’s animosity was directed towards the playing career of his fellow Scot, not towards his dugout tenure.
Brazil grew up next to Ferguson, who was then leading Rangers’ front line, when he was a teenager. Brazil played for the Bhoys’ youth teams and was an ardent Celtic supporter before making his breakthrough at Ipswich Town.
Even though they shared a street, the 64-year-old did not feel any affection for his rival from the Rangers. He made it plain every time the then-teenager strolled by by attacking Ferguson’s garden.
On the Formula For Success podcast, the talkSPORT pundit shared a brief biography of Fergie. “I was born in Govan, close to what I refer to as Castle Greyskulls, in the same hospital as Fergie.
“After that, we relocated to a small town named Simshill, where Fergie and I were quite close! He was also the Rangers center forward at the time, and I’m embarrassed to say that we used to play football at a location called Linn Park in Glasgow.
“And since Fergie was the Rangers No. 9 player, I would always pick his flowers when we passed his house on the way back. That’s shocking, actually. Those were not good days.
Ironically, Brazil never played for the Bhoys at the senior level, but he did have a prosperous football career in England. Brazil was loaned to Detroit Express to play in the North American Soccer League after the team relocated to Ipswich in 1978.
Brazil was traded to Tottenham Hotspur after five years at Portman Road, where he played for a year before joining United in the summer of 1984. On Manchester’s red side, there was almost a humiliating reunion between Ferguson and Brazil.
Ferguson relocated from Aberdeen to Old Trafford in November 1986 to take Ron Atkinson’s place in the United dugout. Had Brazil not been sold to Coventry City by Atkinson eleven months earlier, he would have also been present.
Brazil was a huge star for United, but he was always in the running with players like Mark Hughes, Frank Stapleton, and Norman Whiteside for a spot in the starting lineup.
